Federal lawmakers and state governments promised action Thursday to counteract the FCC 3-2 vote to roll back its 2015 net neutrality rules. State Democratic attorneys general announced plans to sue as expected (see 1712130051), and other officials said they will protect consumers within their states if the FCC won’t. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Mike Doyle, D-Pa., gained support for respective plans to file Congressional Review Act resolutions of disapproval to undo the FCC's repeal (see 1712110050 and 1712120037). The FCC's action drew impassioned statements from lawmakers in both parties, with Republicans largely in support and Democrats uniformly in opposition.
The FCC approved an NPRM seeking comment on possible relaxation or elimination of the national cap on TV station ownership on a 3-2 party-line vote, as expected (see 1712060051). Though Commissioner Mike O’Rielly voted with the other Republicans to approve, he said he agreed with the Democrats the FCC doesn’t have authority to alter the cap. Despite that, if the FCC acts to modify the cap after the NPRM, O’Rielly said he will “happily support” Thursday's action: “That is not to suggest my position has changed, but only that I believe in getting to finality and am willing to cast a vote that will allow the commission to take the needed step to get this to court review.”
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's Thursday briefing with House Republicans was “very productive” in addressing members' questions about the commission's draft order to rescind its 2015 net neutrality rules and other recent actions, House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., told us. A day before, Pai briefed Senate Republicans (see 1712060058). As on the Senate side, Pai received a warm reception from House GOP members, Walden and others said.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's Thursday briefing with House Republicans was “very productive” in addressing members' questions about the commission's draft order to rescind its 2015 net neutrality rules and other recent actions, House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., told us. A day before, Pai briefed Senate Republicans (see 1712060058). As on the Senate side, Pai received a warm reception from House GOP members, Walden and others said.
The FCC issued wireline infrastructure deployment decisions adopted by commissioners at the Nov. 14 meeting, largely along party lines (see 1711160032). The 115-page report and order, declaratory ruling and Further NPRM text eases regulatory requirements of incumbent telcos retiring copper lines and discontinuing telecom services as industry transitions to IP-based fiber systems. It also takes targeted steps to facilitate pole attachments. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn dissented and fellow Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel largely dissented while backing pole-attachment provisions. Some parties recently told us FCC internal back-and-forth over those dissents may have slowed release of the text.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Republican colleagues made the case Tuesday for repeal of Title II net neutrality regulation under the Communications Act (see 1711220026). Return to "regulatory restraint" of Title I broadband treatment would promote investment and innovation while protecting consumers and competition, including through transparency rules and renewed FTC broadband enforcement, Pai said in a speech at an R Street and Lincoln Network event. He defended his proposed draft ruling and orders against criticisms, including from Hollywood celebrities, and went on the offensive against internet edge providers, which he said were a bigger threat to an open internet than broadband ISPs were. Edge entities disagreed with the criticism.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Republican colleagues made the case Tuesday for repeal of Title II net neutrality regulation under the Communications Act (see 1711220026). Return to "regulatory restraint" of Title I broadband treatment would promote investment and innovation while protecting consumers and competition, including through transparency rules and renewed FTC broadband enforcement, Pai said in a speech at an R Street and Lincoln Network event. He defended his proposed draft ruling and orders against criticisms, including from Hollywood celebrities, and went on the offensive against internet edge providers, which he said were a bigger threat to an open internet than broadband ISPs were. Edge entities disagreed with the criticism.
The FCC, having made 1,700 MHz additional high-band spectrum available for mobile use Thursday, plans to initiate a third spectrum frontiers proceeding in the first half of 2018 that will look at the 23, 42 and 50 GHz bands and tee up the 26 GHz band, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said as commissioners approved 4-1 the latest spectrum frontiers NPRM and Further NPRM. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency needs to speed up the path for 5G implementation and laid out a five-point plan: “We are simply not moving fast enough."
The FCC, having made 1,700 MHz additional high-band spectrum available for mobile use Thursday, plans to initiate a third spectrum frontiers proceeding in the first half of 2018 that will look at the 23, 42 and 50 GHz bands and tee up the 26 GHz band, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said as commissioners approved 4-1 the latest spectrum frontiers NPRM and Further NPRM. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency needs to speed up the path for 5G implementation and laid out a five-point plan: “We are simply not moving fast enough."
The FCC took actions intended to spur wireline and wireless broadband deployment, some more controversial than others, at Thursday's monthly meeting. Commissioners voted 3-2 to adopt a combined order, declaratory ruling and Further NPRM that Republicans said were aimed at removing barriers to wireline infrastructure investments and Democrats said would remove important consumer and competition safeguards as industry transitions from copper-based networks to fiber-based IP systems. They voted 5-0 as expected (see 1711150015) to approve a wireless order commissioners said would make it easier to replace utility poles without compromising National Historic Preservation Act mandates.